Orion was a great hunter.
Courtesy of Corel Corporation

Orion

The ancient Greeks saw the figure of the Greek myth, Orion, in the nighttime sky. There are many different stories about how Orion's figure was placed among the stars. Orion was an handsome and skillful hunter. Once, he went to the island Chios where he fell in love with Merope, the daughter of the king Oenopion. Oenopion promised Orion his daughter if he could rid the island of the fierce beasts that infested it.

However, after Orion had successfully completed this perilous task, the king refused to give up his daughter. Orion was so angry that he got drunk and raped Merope. But, Oenopion avenged his daughter. He waited until Orion fell asleep and put out Orion's eyes. Orion's fury grew out of control. He learned from an oracle that he could regain his sight if he went in the farthest point in the east where the sun rises from the ocean. With the help of a young guide, Orion followed the instructions and arrived in Delos.

There, the goddess Eos fell in love with him and convinced her brother, the sun god Helius, to restore Orion's sight. Orion tried to find Oenopion to avenge himself. While pursuing Oenopion, Orion reached the island of Crete where he met the goddess Artemis. Artemis was an excellent huntress. She convinced Orion to go hunting with her and abandon his quest for vengeance.

Artemis'brother, Apollo knew of Orion relationship with Eos. In addition, he was not pleased with Orion's vow to kill all the earth's wild animals. So, Apollo persuaded the Earth goddess Gaia to set an enormous scorpion on Orion. Orion soon realized that his strength and sword were no match for the mighty scorpion. He dove into a lake and swam towards Delos, where Eos could help him.

While he was swimming out (too far to be recognized) Apollo called Artemis, and pointing to Orion's head, challenged her ability to hit any object that far out to sea. Artemis took aim and succeeded. She soon realized that she had killed her lover. In a state of intense grieving, Artemis placed Orion's figure among the stars.

You might also be interested in:

Traveling Nitrogen Classroom Activity Kit

Check out our online store - minerals, fossils, books, activities, jewelry, and household items!...more

Apollo

In Greek mythology, Apollo was the son of Zeus (Jupiter) and Leto (Letona). He was the twin brother of the goddess Artemis. He was the god of the Sun, logic, and reason, and was also a fine musician and...more

The Pleiades

In Greek mythology, the Pleiades were seven sisters. Their names were Maia, Electra, Alcyone, Taygete, Asterope, Celaeno, and Merope. Their parents were the Titan Atlas and the Oceanid, Pleione. One day...more

Ahsonnutli

Ahsonnutli was the sky father and chief deity of the Navajo Indians. He created heaven, Earth, and the sky. Each of the four cardinal directions was supported by a giant. Each direction was also associated...more

Amphitrite

Amphitrite was one of the fifty Nereids, the attendants of the sea-god Poseidon. Poseidon (Neptune) had fallen in love with Amphitrite after seeing her dancing on the island of Naxos. Amphitrite rejected...more

Aphrodite

Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty. She was known to the Romans as Venus. There were actually two different Aphrodites, one was the daughter of Uranus, the other the daughter of Zeus and...more

Apollo

In Greek mythology, Apollo was the son of Jupiter(in Greek Zeus) and Leto (Letona). He was the god of the Sun, logic, and reason, and was also a fine musician and healer. Leto travelled all over Greece...more

Cancer

According to an ancient Greek legend, the figure of a gigantic crab was placed in the nighttime sky by the goddess Hera to form the constellation Cancer. Hera was the jealous wife of the sky god, Zeus....more

Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part is sponsored in part through grants from federal agencies (NASA and NOAA), and partnerships with affiliated organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Earth System Information Partnership, the American Meteorological Society, the National Center for Science Education, and TERC. The American Geophysical Union and the American Geosciences Institute are Windows to the Universe Founding Partners. NESTA welcomes new Institutional Affiliates in support of our ongoing programs, as well as collaborations on new projects. Contact NESTA for more information. NASA ESIP NCSE HHMI AGU AGI AMS NOAA